Enhancing student motivation in mathematics through teacher ...

Meaningful; Sense Making• Explanations using words andsymbols not engaging.• Many rules, esp. algebra, not mademeaningful to students, leading too resort to memorisation, easilyforgotten;o many misconceptions and errors;o demotivated.OverviewWong (AME-SMS 6/6/13) 21Famous People• Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970): I was made tolearn by heart: ‘The square of the sum of twonumbers is equal to the sum of their squaresincreased by twice their product’.I had not the vaguest idea of what this meant,and when I could not remember the words, mytutor threw the book at my head, which didnot stimulate my intellect in any way. (1907)• Carl Jung (1875 – 1961): I was so intimidatedby my incomprehension (of algebra) that I didnot dare to ask any questions.OverviewWong (AME-SMS 6/6/13) 22Concrete, Patterns, Visual1. Concrete materials + explanations;multi-model representations.2. Patterns, powerful link to priorlearning; teachers should knowwhen patterns “break down”.3. Visual representation and proofs.Area of Parallelogram• Standard justification; concrete.• Dienes’ Variability principles.• Rule still applies if perpendicular is “outsidebase”?• How many proofs? Creative, differentiated.OverviewWong (AME-SMS 6/6/13) 23OverviewWong (AME-SMS 6/6/13) 24